• The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is department of the U.S government that oversees a variety of energy related agencies as well as nuclear safety. As a division of the Presidential Cabinet, the DOE is led by a secretary appointed by the president. It contains subsidiary branches and, through its system of United States Department of Energy National Laboratories, sponsors the most scientific research of any other federal agency.

• 1. Formed: August 4, 1977
  2. Also known as: DoE
  3. Preceding agencies: Atomic Energy Commission (1946-1974)
  4. Headquarters: Washington, D.C. and Germantown, Maryland
  5. Employees: 16,100 Federal and 100,000 under contract
  6. Secretary: Samuel W. Bodman
  7. Annual budget (2007): $23.6 Billion
  8. Mission: "advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States; to promote scientific and technological innovation in support of that mission; and to ensure the environmental cleanup of the national nuclear weapons complex."

• Subsidiary Branches

  1. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
  2. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
  3. Office of Secure Transportation (OST)
  4. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
  5. Computer Incident Advisory Capability service (CIAC)

• Key Dates

  1. 1946: U.S. Atomic Energy Commission formed
  2. 1973: In response to the oil crisis, President Carter proposes the formation of a conglomerated federal energy department
  3. August 4, 1977: Congress approves and Carter signs legislation forming the DOE
  4. October 1, 1977: DOE officially begins its operations

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